S. Oregon and NorCal Roadtrip!

June 7th, 2012, 03:42 PM

A couple of my friends (Nick Marshall and James Lindsay) and I are planning a disc golf road trip from Portland down through Cali. Our final destination is DeLaveaga in Santa Cruz. I think the plan is to stay along I-5 as much as possible, at least on the way down. On the way back up, we are considering going up the 101. Do you guys have any course recommendations during the drive? Or any other advice? I've been looking online and I think these are the courses we are considering on the way down.

Basically, we need advice on which courses we should play/ shouldn't bother with as we get further into Cali. Especially in the area between Sacramento and Santa Cruz or on the way back up the 101. I've been talking to Gregg Barsby and he has recommended we play some courses in Ukiah.There are a lot of course, so we really have no idea what to pick.

I'd really appreciate some help, so thanks a lot if you guys provide any.

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Sheila and I took that exact trip a couple of years ago from Seattle over Thanksgiving - ditto on the recommendation for Anderson! Pretty straightforward but a very fun course

Golden Gate Park and Stafford Lake turned out to be the highlights above Delaveaga (which to be honest was very good, but not overly impressive). We also both liked Ryan Ranch (if you are headed as far as Monterey) and Aptos High School just east of Delaveaga - recommend avoiding Pinto Lake though.

Parque De La Raza and Hellyer Park are across the street from each other in San Jose and make for a great combo.

Black Mouse is right by Delaveaga and is a very pretty little course, although fairly short!

Tom Pearce is good, but you may just want to hit it when you are headed back up North if you have extra time.

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Having taken this trip like 30 times, University of OB is blah, however, it should be played yes, it's flat except for a couple holes over a ravine, but is not easy by any means.
The only other course that I would suggest is skyline wilderness park in napa, ca. This is a beauitful course when it is green and the views are cool and the elevation is good. Stafford Lake is awesome.
Andersen park is interesting and can be a nice reasonable quick round. Don't bother with enterprise park in redding or whatever, that is teeny and overrun.
Shady oaks in orangevale, rocklin park in rocklin and auburn are the other way towards reno but nice courses within 30 minutes of eachother.

I am going down 101 in a few weeks so let me know if you do go up 101 and hit some courses

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Stafford Lake is in DESPERATE need of a mow right now. Spent wayyy to long looking for discs. If you head a bit south east off I-5, Chico has some really great courses. Check out Ryans Ranch and CSUMB in Monterey. Hellyer 9/De la Raza 9 in San jose are great too. Just made this trip last month!

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I just played black butte last week during a family vacation road trip. It was a nice course with some fun shots. The catch was that the funness about it was a steep ravine in the middle of the course that nearly half the holes play along. Errant throws will be severly punished.

There were also a lot of birds of prey cruising the wind over my head (like only 10 feet sometimes) making for a unique place.

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A couple of my friends (Nick Marshall and James Lindsay) and I are planning a disc golf road trip from Portland down through Cali. Our final destination is DeLaveaga in Santa Cruz. I think the plan is to stay along I-5 as much as possible, at least on the way down. On the way back up, we are considering going up the 101. Do you guys have any course recommendations during the drive? Or any other advice? I've been looking online and I think these are the courses we are considering on the way down.

Basically, we need advice on which courses we should play/ shouldn't bother with as we get further into Cali. Especially in the area between Sacramento and Santa Cruz or on the way back up the 101. I've been talking to Gregg Barsby and he has recommended we play some courses in Ukiah.There are a lot of course, so we really have no idea what to pick.

I'd really appreciate some help, so thanks a lot if you guys provide any.

-Brody Cannon

Of course you MUST play Stafford Lake....Golden Gate Park has been getting LOTS of love from Pro Master Local Patrick Brown lately...it should be in AWESOME shape. Napa is OK, not my favorite...but it is a very nice park with old growth Oaks and nice views.

Low Gap Park in Ukiak PLUS 2 courses at Mendo Lake. In Willits (15 miles North of Ukiah) there is the KOA Campground. I designed and started the install in 1996. It is a pay to play but a fun stop and has a variety of holes.

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Thanks for all the suggestions! Looks like we won't take this trip until September, so we have lots of time to plan for it. Keep the recommendations and experiences coming!

Based off the route we are planning on taking, I think this is what I've gathered so far:
Potentially remove Tom Pearce Park from the plans and spend the time at Anderson River Park instead.
If we spend more time around Santa Cruz, hit up Black Mouse and Aptos High School.
If we venture into the city, play Hellyer and De la Raza.
Other than that, stick to the plan we have and play the courses still on the list.
If we decide to take the 101 back up through NorCal, I'm still not certain on which courses stand out among the others. I'll keep Magilla's recommendations in mind, but I'd like to hear more about the courses along the 101.

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Thanks for all the suggestions! Looks like we won't take this trip until September, so we have lots of time to plan for it. Keep the recommendations and experiences coming!

Based off the route we are planning on taking, I think this is what I've gathered so far:
Potentially remove Tom Pearce Park from the plans and spend the time at Anderson River Park instead.
If we spend more time around Santa Cruz, hit up Black Mouse and Aptos High School.
If we venture into the city, play Hellyer and De la Raza.
Other than that, stick to the plan we have and play the courses still on the list.
If we decide to take the 101 back up through NorCal, I'm still not certain on which courses stand out among the others. I'll keep Magilla's recommendations in mind, but I'd like to hear more about the courses along the 101.

Along the 101.......You MUST play the Redwood Curtain at Humboldt State U. It will be like no other course you have ever played. 2nd Growth Redwoods and HUGE ferns....Tee 2 is off a Massive Redwood Stump. Just inland from there is Ammon Ranch..Its an object course but well worth the trip...you will need a guide and I can get you one IF you desire.
This is a 18 hole course that can be played forwards (Par 66) AND backwards (Par 67)

There are 3 other courses in the area that I have not played myself but hear great things. I can hook you up with a local that can take you to all of them.